Prof Luke Downey

Luke Downey is Professor of Neurocognition at Swinburne University conducting research into neurocognitive and behavioural outcomes of drug use, workplace mental health interventions, and controlled evaluation of drugs, alcohol, and fatigue upon human performance. He has authored >110 publications, attracted > $5 million in research funding, including consecutive NHMRC Early Career and Career Development Fellowships. He has held visiting scholar positions at Harvard Medical School and Swansea University and is an honorary Research Fellow at the Institute for Breathing & Sleep at the Austin Hospital. Professor Downey established ‘Wellness in Infrastructure’, a not-for-profit committed to sustainably improve wellness in the infrastructure construction industry. He sits on the Global Membership Committee for the Society for Neuroscience and is a member of The International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (ICADTS) Driver State Monitoring Systems in Road Safety and Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis working groups. Professor Downey’s work has had significant community impact. His research has impacted the Road Safety Act, FSANZ guidelines for hemp distribution, and continues to raise awareness of mental health impacts of working in construction/infrastructure in Australia through Wellness in Infrastructure and engaging with peak industry body’s Australia Constructors Association and Roads Australia.